Do You Go Through Detox When You Start gluten-free Eating?

[Janniec6]

My son has only been eating gluten-free for a couple of days~he has been complaining of headaches. Do you go through a kind of detox when you start the gluten-free diet? I've put the entire family on gluten-free, I thought it would be healthy for all of us.

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

When I started the glutenfree diet 3 years ago, my body hurt like it's detoxing from something. I never took any (hard) drugs in my life. I just had to take pain killers everyday for like 7 years to help against my celiac migraine and I guess, that's what it was. Not sure though...

[EBsMom]

My son has only been eating gluten-free for a couple of days~he has been complaining of headaches. Do you go through a kind of detox when you start the gluten-free diet? I've put the entire family on gluten-free, I thought it would be healthy for all of us.

Both of my kids had a detox period when they went gluten-free. My dd (9) had headaches, periods of nausea (which were not one of her celiac disease symptoms), low energy, brain fog and weepiness. My ds (12) complained of a low grade headache for a few days, and had zero energy for about a week and a half. I think it's a normal response to giving up the gluten. I went gluten-free when my dd did. My ds followed a month later. We're still waiting for my dh to jump on board, lol! Hope your son feels better soon!

Rho

[Electra375]

I think some do go through detox, it depends on your level of gluten eating before combined with level of sugar, I found a lot of the gluten products I ate were far higher in sugar than they should ever have been. I get headaches from sugar withdrawl more than gluten withdrawl. I crave chocolate like crazy the first few weeks into gluten-free (I've gone on and off and on again for a gluten challenge).

When one of my children was dx, he slept the first month gluten free. I was worried he was going into a diabetic coma or something from lack of eating. I now think it was his body healing and catching up on deep restful sleep he had missed from the pain he lived in.

Now he gets headaches and leg aches if he eats gluten in addition to gastro symptoms.

[Moustique77]

Me and my mother-in-law went gluten free at the same time. (My wife is a celiac and kept encouraging us to get tested because of our symptom. Sure enough wife is always right and we are all celiacs.) Definitely felt like withdrawl symptoms. Just felt lethargic and irritable for a while. And constantly hungry. Finally after three months Im feeling more energy and calm.

Mother-in-law asked her doctor why she would feel bad from being gluten-free, shouldnt she feel better? Doctor replied that wheat has neurotransmitters that often provide a euphoric, filled feeling. It has been documented that when you stop eating it you may notice a withdrawl. Depends on how much you used to eat and your body's reliance on it. I thought that was really interesting. It explains the cravings I think.

[NewGFMom]

And that can take months of these symptoms? YIKES

My son's been so grouchy since we pulled the gluten. He doesn't miss it. His meals are mostly the same. It took a while to find some cereal that he really likes. But MAN he's been impossible. I know some of it is normal 3 1/2 year old stuff. But it's been notably worse since we stopped the gluten mid June. He's hungry and GRUMPY a lot of the time.

I keep hoping the veil will lift and we'll be on the other side of this with the good health. But it's encouraging to hear that it took some people a few months.